The Storyteller
by A Bit of Sunshine
Summary: Oneshot. Did you ever wonder about the story of how orphan Eugene Fitzherbert could become Flynn Rider, the thief of all thieves. This is his story.


_I recently saw Tangled and loved it! When I was watching the movie, that little author's voice in me said," Why don't you write something about when Eugene was in the orphanage. So I did. Enjoy my little oneshot! Any type of review (comments, constructive criticism, or compliments) are allowed and greatly anticipated._

_P.S. I do not own anything Tangled related except a $15. 99 Blueray Combo Pack. The only thing I own in this story is my OC Madeline Fitzherbert. _

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><p><em>"Peter Pan boldly brandished his dagger at the menacing Captain Hook.<em>

_'It's over, Hook!' he exclaimed._

_In turn, Hook thrashed his sword threatingly._

_'Don't you be so quick to challenge,' Hook growled haughtily._

_Peter and Hook lunged for each other, blades glinting wickedly in the setting sun. Weapons flew as the screeching pair attempting to jab the other. Finally-"  
><em>

A wracking fit of coughing interrupted the hypnotic tale. Six pairs of eyes glared at the culprit.

"Madeline," one of them scolded," can't you try to control yourself? Eugene's reading _Peter Pan_!"

Madeline grinned sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, it's just that-"

"It's alright, Madeline," Eugene said defensively. He gave the children a menacing glare. "If we can't be kind to the others, I will refuse to finish the story."

He invisibley zippered his mouth shut. A chorus of whines echoed from the crowd.

"Come on, Eugene!"

"This is so unfair!"

"Madeline always ruins it for us."

Eugene Fitzherbert shooed the children away. "That's enough reading for, today. Till tomorrow."

The groaning children shuffled away to their beds. Eugene's stories were the most exciting thing in the orphanage. The way he painted the stories with his voice was so enticing.

Eugene turned back to the girl laying on the creaky mattress.

"I'm sorry, Eugene," she croaked.

She broke into another fit of wheezes.

Eugene stroked her back.

"It's alright, Maddy. No one messes with _my _little sister if they know what's best for them."  
>He threw punches at the air, making Madeline giggle which broke into coughing.<p>

"Will I ever get better?"

Eugene bit his lip.

"I'm pretty sure. The last time the doctors were here, they assured us that you were making progress."

The unconfidence in his voice startled Madeline. Though her brother was an expert fibber around strangers, he could never get away with lies with his sister. Though five years younger than Eugene, she was much wiser.

She gave him a restless nod.

"Will you tell me that story about Flynn Rider, again?"

Eugene cracked his knuckles and neck.

_"Flynn Rider is the thief of all thieves. Just saying his name sends chills down the spine. What's so great about the guy? Well, he's handsome, cunning, slick, and not too bad with the fair maidens. _

_But Flynn's greatest asset was his sidekick, Adelaide. She was the smartest and prettiest girl around these parts. Tales even say, she outsmarted a famous mathematician at his own game. _

_On a lone autumn night, the duo were hunched in the brush._

_"If we get this treasure, we can have enough funds to find a cure for the plague!" Adelaide exclaimed excitedly._

_"And we'll have enough to live comfortably in our own palace," Flynn added._

_The two shared a nod before stealthily creeping next to the inn where the pirate's treasure was being held. Flynn examined the building._

_"Heavily armed guards, double-locked doors and windows, and an ultra-secret compartment to store the chest. Piece of cake."_

_Adelaide scaled the wall with Flynn right on her heels._

_Three guards rushed to them._

_"Where do you think you're going?" one growled, stroking his sword._

_"We're here to take what's rightfully not ours," said Flynn._

_"Not without getting through us you're-"_

_Adelaide swiftly banged the heads of all three guards with the butt of her sword._

_"Nice," Flynn commented, stepping gingerly over the unconscious bodies._

_The pair slipped through the window, with some expert lock picking. They easily found the compartment and began to lug the iron cage when a menacing chuckle interrupted their work._

_"Where do ya' think yer heading to, matees?" Captain Yarr growled._

_"I'll take care of him. You take care of the chest." _

_Flynn brandished his silver sword. "It's over for you."_

_Yarr glared at the handsome thief._

_"You can't beat me, prettyboy."_

_"Prettyboy!" Flynn shrieked, clearly offended._

_His offense turned into rage. He slammed Yarr into the far end of the wall, knocking him out cold._

_"Prettyboy's pretty good at fighting, huh?"_

_Adelaide motioned for Flynn to come over._

_"Look how full the treasure chest is!" she exclaimed._

_"We're rich!"_

_So, Flynn and Adelaide became the richest thieves in all of Corona. They contributed to the society by funding research on the cure for the plague. To this day, they reside in their own seaside palace comfortably._

_And they both lived happily ever after."_

"That was a nice story," Madeline yawned.

"It's not just a story. It can be true. Tell you what. Me and you will one day set out on adventures just like Adelaide and Flynn."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Madeline settled into her bed. Her brother was a good teller of tales, but she hoped this time he was being truthful about those adventures.

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><p>Eugene refused to cry.<p>

"We've done all we could," the doctors lamented.

"She can't be gone!" Eugene had shrieked. "No, not Maddy! I promised her . . ."

"We're sorry, son."

Eugene had streaked out of the orphanage and into the dense trees.

Though his heart had been smashed into pieces, he wouldn't cry.

"Maddy, wouldn't have wanted me to cry," he told himself.

His thoughts then switched to another topic.

_"Me and you will one day set out on adventures like Adelaide and Flynn," _he had vowed to her.

Now, Madeline would never be able to journey on those adventurers she longed for.

It was as if a string had been cut in Eugene Fitzherbert. He realized he could indeed keep his promise to Maddy, but in a different way.

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><p>"Where are you going, Eugene?" Toby, one of the orphan boys, questioned.<p>

Eugene adjusted his leather satchel.

"I'm not Eugene, anymore. Eugene Fitzherbert has died along with Madeline. The name's Flynn Rider."

Flynn began to slip out of a window.

"But Eugene-I mean Flynn, where are you going?"

Flynn gazed out the window.

"I'm going to get my Adelaide a pirate's treasure before I join her in our seaside palace."

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><p>And that was the last anyone ever heard from Eugene Fitzherbert for a decade. Some say he journeyed with a lost princess and afterward married her. Just think of that, Eugene Fitzherbert, a prince! He probably made up that tale and spread it around. He always <em>was <em>a good storyteller.


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